Florida saw a jump in the number of workers who quit their jobs from October to November, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The state saw a 0.2 percent increase in resignations over the one-month period, making it one of the highest quit-rate increases nationwide.

Why It Matters

Florida saw a drop in resignations from 250,000 to 224,000 between September and October, so the tide may be turning for the labor market in the Sunshine State.

What To Know

Florida saw 29,000 more workers quit their jobs from October to November. This brought the total from 224,000 to 253,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for an overall 0.2 percent increase in employees quitting their jobs, one of the highest rates in the nation.

Many factors are contributing to the higher number of resignations in Florida, with cost of living and worker confidence playing major roles.

And while some states are experiencing a slowdown in job quits because of economic uncertainty, Florida’s job market is showing signs of growth. With a stronger job market, more Floridians may feel confident leaving their current jobs.

What People Are Saying

Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: “I think a big factor is worker confidence. Florida’s economy has been pretty good, especially sectors like hospitality, health care, and construction. With plenty of job openings, people feel more comfortable leaving their current positions, believing they’ll find something better.”

Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and the founder of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek: “The increase for October just seems to be more of a seasonal pattern as businesses adjust for the back-to-school and pre-holiday season. Another factor can be performance reviews that occur in Q3 and Q4, where underperformers may be let go prior to the new year. Historically, October is a prime month for layoffs.”

HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: “It reflects a labor market increasingly hostile to workers. When you have a state government hell-bent on stripping away rights, demonizing unions, and ignoring worker protections, employees understandably reevaluate their options. People are quitting because they’re fed up with low wages, toxic workplaces, and policies that prioritize profits over people, something that’s unfortunately only going to get worse across the nation as a new administration comes in next week.”

Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “The increase in quitting is a trend that doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon. The job market is still strong, and employees agitated with their current role and the potential increased responsibilities and stagnant pay are walking out and looking for new opportunities. This is especially true in Florida, which has seen some of the most dramatic increases in the cost of living since the pandemic. Quitting is starting to feel less like a rarity and more like the new normal.”

What Happens Next

Floridians could continue to quit their jobs at higher rates because of a larger shift in how employees view work-life balance.

“The pandemic also made a lot of us rethink our priorities. Work-life balance has become more important, and there’s a growing desire for jobs that offer flexibility or remote work options,” Ryan said. “If a job doesn’t offer that, employees might decide it’s time to move on.”